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The First Lie
“Deliciously villainous” – Nicky Flowers, Indies Today
Winner of Best Suspense 2024 – Indies Today
One audit. Two men. A dangerous obsession that could unravel her entire life.
Olivia Hart thought landing a job at Sterling Enterprises was her big break. But when a routine audit uncovers financial irregularities, she finds herself caught in a web of deceit, power, and a dangerous attraction.
Ethan Sterling, the charismatic billionaire heir, is used to getting what he wants–and now, he wants Olivia. His relentless pursuit is both intoxicating and terrifying, pulling her deeper into a world where wealth hides dangerous secrets.
Torn between her seemingly devoted husband and a man who won't take no for an answer, Olivia must navigate an increasingly treacherous path. As hidden truths come to light, loyalty is tested, love is redefined, and trust becomes a gamble with deadly stakes.
In this award-winning psychological thriller, appearances are deceiving, and the truth becomes the ultimate betrayal.
The First Lie will hook you from the first page and keep you breathless until the very last.
Read now to uncover the first lie today.
Winner of Best Suspense 2024 – Indies Today
One audit. Two men. A dangerous obsession that could unravel her entire life.
Olivia Hart thought landing a job at Sterling Enterprises was her big break. But when a routine audit uncovers financial irregularities, she finds herself caught in a web of deceit, power, and a dangerous attraction.
Ethan Sterling, the charismatic billionaire heir, is used to getting what he wants–and now, he wants Olivia. His relentless pursuit is both intoxicating and terrifying, pulling her deeper into a world where wealth hides dangerous secrets.
Torn between her seemingly devoted husband and a man who won't take no for an answer, Olivia must navigate an increasingly treacherous path. As hidden truths come to light, loyalty is tested, love is redefined, and trust becomes a gamble with deadly stakes.
In this award-winning psychological thriller, appearances are deceiving, and the truth becomes the ultimate betrayal.
The First Lie will hook you from the first page and keep you breathless until the very last.
Read now to uncover the first lie today.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2025
23 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 29, 2025
the first lie
Wow this book is awesome , and me pulled in from the very first page. Now I’m ready for the 2nd one. Thank you
Wow this book is awesome , and me pulled in from the very first page. Now I’m ready for the 2nd one. Thank you
December 7, 2024
📚 Book Review 📚
The First Lie
By
N. H. Steele
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The First Lie is the first book in the Shadows of Deception series by N.H. Steele proves to be a page-turner from the first sentence. We are initially introduced to Olivia Hart, a new junior accountant at Sterling Enterprises, an investment firm, where her husband Daniel, is also employed. Olivia’s audit of the company’s financial records discovers “Something Strange” and weird. Numbers aren’t matching up and the deeper she digs, the more discrepancy she finds. Olivia is unexpectedly delegated to present her findings to the company’s accounting committee, which would include senior executives, including the CEO, Ethan Sterling, the billionaire in charge of his father's firm. At the meeting, Olivia reports on the discrepancies, impressing Ethan with not only her accounting abilities but her charming good looks. Ethan decides then and there to make Olivia his, no matter what it takes.
I thought the storyline was well-developed and extremely intriguing. The inter-character relationships were intensely molded to provide the reader with a vast spectrum of emotions. The tenderness, suspense, tension, revulsion, and romance between the characters escalated as the story progressed, as did the danger. The ominous mood as I delved deeper into the book escalated with each new chapter, with unpredictable results. The book was a page-turner, trying to anticipate the future development of the characters involved and how the story would play out. I would recommend The First Lie to readers who are looking for a book with a masterly designed plot of romance, abuse, and the turmoil of not letting go. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Readers Copy
The First Lie
By
N. H. Steele
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The First Lie is the first book in the Shadows of Deception series by N.H. Steele proves to be a page-turner from the first sentence. We are initially introduced to Olivia Hart, a new junior accountant at Sterling Enterprises, an investment firm, where her husband Daniel, is also employed. Olivia’s audit of the company’s financial records discovers “Something Strange” and weird. Numbers aren’t matching up and the deeper she digs, the more discrepancy she finds. Olivia is unexpectedly delegated to present her findings to the company’s accounting committee, which would include senior executives, including the CEO, Ethan Sterling, the billionaire in charge of his father's firm. At the meeting, Olivia reports on the discrepancies, impressing Ethan with not only her accounting abilities but her charming good looks. Ethan decides then and there to make Olivia his, no matter what it takes.
I thought the storyline was well-developed and extremely intriguing. The inter-character relationships were intensely molded to provide the reader with a vast spectrum of emotions. The tenderness, suspense, tension, revulsion, and romance between the characters escalated as the story progressed, as did the danger. The ominous mood as I delved deeper into the book escalated with each new chapter, with unpredictable results. The book was a page-turner, trying to anticipate the future development of the characters involved and how the story would play out. I would recommend The First Lie to readers who are looking for a book with a masterly designed plot of romance, abuse, and the turmoil of not letting go. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Readers Copy
January 7, 2025
The First Lie is the first book in the Shadows of Deception series by Nellie Steele. The book is great from page one on. It looks to me like Nellie is going to have another hit series on her hands. She writes books in many genres and I have yet to read a bad book from her, this is no exception.
Here we meet Olivia Hart. She is so happy to have landed her dream job at Sterling Enterprises, an investment company and what a big break this is. Olivia is a junior accountant and when she does an audit on the books she uncovers a lot of financial irregularities. Now she is caught between a web of deceit and desires that she is feeling. Who can she trust with this new found information.
Her husband Daniel also works at the firm so here she is torn between his devotion and a boss that does not know the meaning of the word no. The CEO Ethan Sterling, the charismatic billionaire heir, seems determined to make me his. And even though I still say no I find myself slipping into his world of power and money.
The more that Olivia digs into the financial records the more errors she finds, what is going on? And now she has been told that she will present her findings to the companies accounting committee, which will include the senior executives. During her presentation explaining all of the accounting errors Ethan seemed extremely impressed by her accounting abilities and her beauty, so now he really does want her to be his. Who can she trust? Is someone stealing from the company?
Here we meet Olivia Hart. She is so happy to have landed her dream job at Sterling Enterprises, an investment company and what a big break this is. Olivia is a junior accountant and when she does an audit on the books she uncovers a lot of financial irregularities. Now she is caught between a web of deceit and desires that she is feeling. Who can she trust with this new found information.
Her husband Daniel also works at the firm so here she is torn between his devotion and a boss that does not know the meaning of the word no. The CEO Ethan Sterling, the charismatic billionaire heir, seems determined to make me his. And even though I still say no I find myself slipping into his world of power and money.
The more that Olivia digs into the financial records the more errors she finds, what is going on? And now she has been told that she will present her findings to the companies accounting committee, which will include the senior executives. During her presentation explaining all of the accounting errors Ethan seemed extremely impressed by her accounting abilities and her beauty, so now he really does want her to be his. Who can she trust? Is someone stealing from the company?
October 12, 2025
This entire book reads like 50 Shades of Gray fan fiction with less sex and a less satisfactory ending. Do not read unless you want to read an entire book that ends with a " read the next book for the ending" disclaimer. Utter rubbish.
December 27, 2024
WOW!!! This is unbelievable!! Ethan doesn't take "NO" for an answer at all!! You don't want to miss reading this page-turner!!
February 19, 2025
Full of surprises
This book was a twisty tale that kept me surprised along the way. I can’t believe the ending though! I will have to read the second book for sure!
This book was a twisty tale that kept me surprised along the way. I can’t believe the ending though! I will have to read the second book for sure!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews